BACKGROUND: Demonstrating the equivalency between the traditional metro-based clerkships within close proximity to the academic health center and the nontraditional rural preceptorships is important. The University of Minnesota has had a 9-month longitudinal rural elective for third-year medical students for 40 years, the Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP). In the metro area, traditional students rotate through clerkships of 4 to 8 weeks in length. Both cohorts of students are evaluated in similar ways. METHODS: We analyzed the test scores and demographic data for two cohorts of students: RPAP (n=201) and traditional (n=1,129) who graduated between 2004 and 2009. Tests included pre-medical school data (Medical College Admission Tests, college grade point averages) as well as National Board of Medical Examiners subject examinations (shelf), US Medical Licensing Examination Step One and Two (Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills), and an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Scores were analyzed using descriptive/comparative statistics for the two groups of students. RESULTS: For the most part, RPAP students performed similarly to students in the traditional metro-based curriculum on the standard educational outcome metrics. On the obstetrics shelf, while a similar proportion of the RPAP students passed, they scored statistically significantly lower (traditional: median 72 (range 50-98) versus RPAP: 71 (51-89). DISCUSSION: This study is the largest cohort demonstrating equivalency between students taking a rural longitudinal clerkship and their metro-trained colleagues.
BACKGROUND: Demonstrating the equivalency between the traditional metro-based clerkships within close proximity to the academic health center and the nontraditional rural preceptorships is important. The University of Minnesota has had a 9-month longitudinal rural elective for third-year medical students for 40 years, the Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP). In the metro area, traditional students rotate through clerkships of 4 to 8 weeks in length. Both cohorts of students are evaluated in similar ways. METHODS: We analyzed the test scores and demographic data for two cohorts of students: RPAP (n=201) and traditional (n=1,129) who graduated between 2004 and 2009. Tests included pre-medical school data (Medical College Admission Tests, college grade point averages) as well as National Board of Medical Examiners subject examinations (shelf), US Medical Licensing Examination Step One and Two (Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills), and an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Scores were analyzed using descriptive/comparative statistics for the two groups of students. RESULTS: For the most part, RPAP students performed similarly to students in the traditional metro-based curriculum on the standard educational outcome metrics. On the obstetrics shelf, while a similar proportion of the RPAP students passed, they scored statistically significantly lower (traditional: median 72 (range 50-98) versus RPAP: 71 (51-89). DISCUSSION: This study is the largest cohort demonstrating equivalency between students taking a rural longitudinal clerkship and their metro-trained colleagues.
Authors: Aloysius G Mubuuke; Hussein Oria; Aggrey Dhabangi; Sarah Kiguli; Nelson K Sewankambo Journal: Rural Remote Health Date: 2015-12-02 Impact factor: 1.759
Authors: Matthew Fitz; William Adams; Marc Heincelman; Steve Haist; Karina Whelan; LeeAnn Cox; Uyen-Thi Cao; Susan Hingle; Amanda Raff; Bruce Houghton; Janet Fitzpatrick; Ryan Nall; Jennifer Foster; Jonathan Appelbaum; Cyril Grum; Anna Donovan; Stuart Kiken; Reeni Abraham; Marti Hlafka; Chad Miller; Saurabh Bansal; Douglas Paauw; Cindy J Lai; Amber Pincavage; Gauri Agarwal; Cynthia Burns; Horatio Holzer; Katie Lappé; Viju John; Blake Barker; Nina Mingioni; Deepti Rao; Laura Zakowski; Chayan Chakraborti; Winter Williams; William Kelly Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2022-06-28 Impact factor: 6.473
Authors: Jane O'Doherty; Sarah Hyde; Raymond O'Connor; Megan E L Brown; Peter Hayes; Vikram Niranjan; Aidan Culhane; Pat O'Dwyer; Patrick O'Donnell; Liam Glynn; Andrew O'Regan Journal: Ir J Med Sci Date: 2021-02-27 Impact factor: 1.568